UM System greets 2011 with changes

The University of Missouri System begins the new year with some significant changes at the top.

President Gary Forsee has stepped down to care for his wife, Sherry, as she begins treatment following cancer surgery. The Board of Curators appointed Steve Owens, UM’s general counsel, as interim president and announced the formation of a search committee for the system’s 23rd president.

Meanwhile, the terms of three curators — Doug Russell, John Carnahan III and David Wasinger — expired in December, and a fourth member, Bo Frazier of Columbia, resigned after serving two of his six-year appointment. Gov. Jay Nixon has not indicated when he will appoint replacements for the departing curators.

Also, Warren K. Erdman of Kansas City, Mo., was elected to a one-year term as chair of the Board of Curators during the board’s December meeting in St. Louis. Erdman, who served this year as the board’s vice chair, succeeds Judith Haggard of Kennett, whose term as chair expired Dec. 31. Erdman is chair of the board’s Compensation and Human Resources Committee, and is a member of the Academic, Student and External Affairs, Executive and Governance committees.

David R. Bradley of St. Joseph, a member of the Compensation and Human Resources, and the Resources and Planning committees, was elected vice chair.

Curators serve six-year terms with three terms expiring every two years.